Pools in late December?

[epcotobsessed]

We have never been in December but are considering a trip for the week between Christmas and New Years. I assume all resort pools will be closed then, but is that accurate?

 

[happymommy]

I’ve been that week before more than once. No, the resort pools are not closed; they all have heated pools. That being said, it’s never been warm enough for me to swim there. My kids have a couple of times, but sometimes it gets down in the 30’s at night so is freezing. Daytime can be nice in the 70’s, but also it’s been in the 50’s and we’ve needed jackets and hats.

That is the busiest week of the year at Disney, so prepare for crowds (in normal years, obviously this year is different). It’s lovely, but so busy that you really need to have days planned out well. One trip we did a club level stay, so spent most of our time at the resort enjoying the amenities there.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

We’ve done a New Years trip the last few years and there have always been at least a few swimmable days each trip. Agree that it may tend towards more tolerant children than adults, but that will vary by your personal preferences. The weather can really vary that time of year.

 

[epcotobsessed]

Thank you both. It's nice to know we'll have the option of using them if we think it's warm enough.

 

[lanejudy]

Depending on where you live, you may or may not consider it swimming weather. We’ve been in Dec and wore t-shirts and shorts while others had on jeans and winter jackets. My daughter was the only one in the CBR pool one day.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

But, there are times it has gotten cold enough that they close the pools. It's usually for a day/couple days at a time only.

 

[epcotobsessed]

Thank you for this. I was assuming we'd have zero pool access at that time of year, so even the possibility of having it some days is great.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I've seen them close the water parks, but not the pools. I know we had a December trip a number of years ago where the average temps were in the upper 30s and the main pool at WL was open the entire time. We even saw people swimming. We had a November trip a couple of years later at YC where temps stayed in the 40s and Stormalong Bay was open for swimmers the entire time.

 

[ice cube]

We have never been in December but are considering a trip for the week between Christmas and New Years. I assume all resort pools will be closed then, but is that accurate?

This will be our 14th year in a row Christmas thru New Years and we have had cool weather that pp's have stated but also days of high 80' into 90's. I recall last year was one of those years at the POLY at the pool everyday...I remember one year when we drove down we were leaving the Beach Club to drive back home and it was 6am on New Years Day and the digital thermometer in the car read 25 even its a little off that still was a cold morning....come on Santa all I want for Christmas is great weather at the POLY again

 

[MissionMouse]

Mid-day break swims have worked best for us in December. Weather is a variable you need to have a level of flexibility in your schedule to take advantage of the opportunity when temperatures fit your level of comfort. Good luck

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

I think it depends on luck & timing - if you’re lucky enough for average/above average temperatures, and if you’re planning to swim during the heat of the day. We went swimming in December on our arrival day, around 2pm. It was a little chilly but we had a nice time, did the slide, etc. When we left a few days later around 11am, I was wearing leggings and a cardigan on top of my long sleeves.

 

[WEDWDW]

Just to echo everyone else,December can see Shorts weather and it can also see "put every piece of clothing you can find on" weather.

And if it gets cold enough they DO close the Resort Pools(rare) or shorten the Hours(Noon-6 or something like that).

At a certain point it can just be too cold for Lifeguards and Guests alike.

 

[Vern60]

It's one of those things that as long as you're mostly in the water and a bit active it's not so bad. Getting out of the pool if it's cold and windy .... aaaaahhhhh, run straight for the hot tub! Yup, those are typically open too and oddly more crowded than the pools, huh.

 

[Disneylover99]

We’re from the North, so it’s always a treat to swim in an outdoor pool each day on our December trips. As long as it’s sunny out, we don’t care what the outside temperature is.

 

[Rxdr2013]

We swam on Christmas day before leaving our hotel a few years ago and it was amazing. But for me it depends on the temp outside. That years was warm

 

[AliceIn]

We’re from the North, so it’s always a treat to swim in an outdoor pool each day on our December trips. As long as it’s sunny out, we don’t care what the outside temperature is.

Same here! We swam in the ocean right at memorial day, and that water is COLD. I remember my mother's rule was that when our lips started turning blue we had to come out no matter how much we wanted to stay in. I can remember trying to argue with my teeth chattering, "But I'm not c-c-c-c-c-old!"

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Thank you both. It's nice to know we'll have the option of using them if we think it's warm enough.

Last Dec. I had the air conditioner on for most of the month. I live an hour away from WDW.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/orlando-fl/32801/december-weather/328169

 

[Deb & Bill]

Last Dec. I had the air conditioner on for most of the month. I live an hour away from WDW.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/orlando-fl/32801/december-weather/328169

I live about 170 miles SE of Lake Buena Vista. I haven't turned on the heat in my house for at least two years.

 

[CheshKAT]

Thank you for this. I was assuming we'd have zero pool access at that time of year, so even the possibility of having it some days is great.

We have been once in November but mostly in January and the pools have always been open, although they have closed them early in the evening.

 

[B-Ride]

If your kids are young and the pools are open they will swim. Our's did when we went in December years ago. No sane adult would venture into the pools.